Travel Report, April 2011: Israel

I am flying from Tel Aviv to Eilat, a resort city on the shores of the Red Sea.

The line to board the plane is long; we must go through yet another security check. I am close to the end of the line. Next to me is a very Orthodox Jew. They are easy to identify, with their black three-piece suits, long black coats (in Israel’s broiling temperatures, mind you), long beards and side curls.

The Orthodox man leaves his place and goes to the head of the line to speak to a security officer.

In the United States, someone would politely ask him to get back in line. In Russia everyone would try to go to the head of the line, so there is no line. But here, something happened that I did not expect: People started screaming at the man––not just shouting, but screaming––“Hey, you with the kippa! [the small head covering that religious Jews wear] You with the beard! Who do you think you are? You think you’re special? Get back in line!!!”

What surprised me was the venom, the palpable hatred, in how the shouted words were expressed.

The man walked back to his place, trying to explain that he had just been asking a question. It did not help. The shouting continued. Finally he got angry himself, and shouted back at them: “You anti-Semites! You retarded people!” (Keep in mind, it was a Jew calling other Jews anti-Semites.)

His insults were like pouring oil on a fire. The confrontation intensified, and I believe it would certainly have turned physical had not the airport security people intervened. The most aggressive were young, military age people.

What is going on?

Let me explain.

Orthodox Jews, who study Torah full-time––usually for their entire lives––are exempt from military service. But they do vote, and for religious reasons they vote with the political right, which does not want to concede any land to the Palestinians. For them, the land is sacred; God has given it to the chosen people and they have no right to concede it to the Arabs. This infuriates the secular Israeli because it is they who serve and die in Israel’s numerous wars and skirmishes, not those studying the Torah and voting they way they do.

Furthermore, the Orthodox tend to marry young and have many children––it’s not unusual for a family to have nine children––because the tenets of their religion instruct them to “multiply.” But, since they study Torah instead of earning a living, and since they have large families, they get government social services financial support. This infuriates the secular Israeli even more. It is they who pay the taxes that support those Orthodox Jews. Some even call them “parasites”.

This resentment has been growing for a long time, and I believe it is about to reach dangerous proportions.

I would not be surprised if, in my lifetime, some serious physical confrontation will occur between the two groups, ending, perhaps, with fatalities.

How tragic will it be if religious Jews are attacked in the Jewish state. As much as I pray that this conflict does not end tragically, I nevertheless support the policy that exempts the Orthodox from army duty and supports them with tax money.

Here is why:

Israel exists today, but who knows if it will exist in the very long run. I pray with all my heart that is should, but no state in history has survived as a state for two thousand years. But the Jews, as a religious group, have survived for two thousand years, despite constant persecution.

The Orthodox Jews may be our security that the Jewish people will continue to exist. Israel as a secular state does not warrant that survivability. True, it does not have to be the most Orthodox Jews to make it happen. There are many religious Jews who serve the army, work, earn and pay taxes But the most Orthodox are the most Orthodox which means they are to me the most committed to keep the religion alive. I cannot say that for the secular Israelis. If anything were to happen to the state of Israel, God forbid, I believe that many secular Jews would assimilate to other religions, or reject religion altogether and Judaism will lose millions of souls. In other words, I do not necessarily see the state of Israel as an effective insurance policy to ensure the survival of the Jewish nation in the long, long run and my concern is with the survivability of the Jewish nation and not only of the Jewish state. For me, the Orthodox Jews provide that continuity. Allowing the Orthodox to study Torah while supporting them financially are reasonable “premiums” that we should be willing to pay to assure Jewish continuity in the very long run.

I admit that it is easy for me to make these statements, living as I do in Santa Barbara, far away from the conflict, far away from the sacrifices secular Israeli make. Those who live in Israel feel resentful for understandable reasons.

the original idea was that this group will be the best students , a few hundred . now they are over 80000 every year . this is not serving the purpose . this must stop and be like a small dedicated group . even in Brooklyn ny they work and prey .

This reminds me on Balcan story. People identify themselves with particular religion or ethnic group (Serbian, Croatian, Bosnian etc.). Then they start fighting against each other to protect their own groups. It is always easy to blame the other side. After years of war they all lose. They live in poverty, people are stressed, economy is down, values are low, young pople are running away. It is a paradise for religion and politicians who make promises of better life.

I think it is good to be born in religion but it is not good to die in religion. Because religion (in spite of all good things) it separates the people. Each one claiming their god to be the only god.

If I think that I am Slovenian then I am Slovenian. If I think I am Christian then I am Christian. But this identification put me in a box. And that limits me. I don’t know how to express myself in a better way, but love is the only thing which really unites the people. So, lets feel love and give love and do with love.

Itchak, son of Levi,you are close to the truth, but do you not know that the Torah promises that God will keep his people Israel and the promised land in “Prime” until He returns.

Your young line mates are correct, you are God’s chosen people, you are a special people. God’s promise does not have to be earned and it is not countingent on the orthodoxy of His people, or their adherence to the Law and promises of the Torah.

Why worry when you can pray? You need to come to grips with concept of grace which that Inconvenient Jew, Jesus, laid out in the New Testament. Grace overtakes and puts running shoes on your concept of integration.

Judaism has survived for 2000 prior to the establishment of the state of Israel. Judaism overcame persecution, without any feeling of entitlement. Even the most Orthodox Jews who lived in the diaspora understood that those who want to devote their lives to studying Torah mast get the support of their communities.

The “historic treaty” between has changed that balance between the ultra Orthodox community and the rest of the Jewish people. The feelings amongst the secular Jews that too many “unqualified” Torah studiers are taking advantage of this entitlement created antagonism and severe loss of MT&R. It had to become a challenge to the Orthodox leadership as well as to the secular Jewish leadership in the last 62 years.

Both sides failed to address the challenge.

I don’t believe that Orthodox Jews used to go to the head of the line in the diaspora. They might have had the desire to do so but fears of persecution might have prevented them from exposing their “natural desire”

As far as the act of “going to the head of the line to ask a question”, that is more Israeli than Jewish. If anything it shows that this ultra Orthodox person is adopting some of the new Jewish mentality. That might be seen as a sign of “flexibility”.

The problem is more complex than any side can imagine.
From religious’ point army is not capable to deal with orthodox’s’ way of life: in army boys and girls serve together what is unacceptable for religious Jew. Second problem is Kashruth, most of kitchens in army, especially in small basis are not Kasher. I was in army during Shemitah year and by the end of the year I could eat only bread and soya schnitzels. Fortunately for me, I was in logistic unit, so I used to eat from cans in stores. Orthodox leaders are aware of problem of fictive students, but they know if they allow them to exit Yeshivah they would became secular. Forth, Orthodox Jews are in magical circle because if they want to avoid army service they are forbidden to work, so they have to rely on social aid.
From secular point, due to high birth rate there are more and more Yeshivah students and less working people that can support them financially, simply, their burden is heavier and heavier. Second, in ten years time about half of Israeli youth will not serve the Army that will have disastrous impact on Israel’s ability to defend itself.
So, according to my opinion both sides have to make big compromise. Seculars have to give up their ideological attitude that exemption from army has to result in ban from employment. Also, they have to realize as it stated in this post that religious studies are essential for existence of Jewish people. Orthodox have to accept that survival in Middle East is impossible without strong and well trained army and army should draft them instead of girls and make it’s kitchens kosher for orthodox’s standards. Also, only the best ones should be granted to learn all day long with state support. Others should be trained and absorbed, step by step, in order not to cause unemployment in work in order to end their dependence on social aid.

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Please note:

The insights presented in these blogs are the personal insight of Dr. Ichak Kalderon Adizes and do not necessarily express the opinion or position of the Adizes Institute or its staff individually or as a group.

DISCLAIMER: The insights presented in these blogs are the personal insight of Dr. Ichak Kalderon Adizes and do not necessarily express the opinion or position of the Adizes Institute or its staff individually or as a group.